Ironing machine



Feb. 4, 1936.

C. E. MORGENSTERN IRONING MACHINE Filed Nov. 12, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY Feb. 4, 1936. c. E. MORGENSTERN IRONING MACHINE Filed Nov. 12, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Lil/M A u v FIG.3.

F ISA.

21 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY Patented. Feb. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IRONING MACHINE Application November 12, 1934, Serial No. 752,614

9 Claim.

This invention relates to domestic ironing machines and particularly to a cabinet for such machines arranged to conceal and enclose the operative elements thereof. A feature of the construction is the provision of an enclosure which may be shifted from its position over the operative elements to a position clear of such elements while constantly maintaining its top in a horizontal plane. This enables the cover to be shifted without removing any articles that might be supported upon it. Furthermore, the arrangement is preferably such that when the cover or enclosure is shifted to expose the ironing elements the top of the cover forms an extension of the table or top of the supporting structure of the machine. For convenience in handling, the cover is preferably formed in two Sections, one arranged at each end of the machine.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from a detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the same which will now be given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying the invention, with the cover members shifted to expose the ironing elements.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the machine with the cover members in closed position.

Figure 3 is a detail view, in elevation: showing certain cover supporting links in relation to a cover, indicated in dot and dash lines in closed position and in broken lines in open position.

Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of the mechanism of Figure 3, the cover being shown in section along the line 4-1 of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a sectional view along the line 5--5 of Figure 3, showing a detail.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a supporting frame for a domestic ironing machine comprising a series of legs l0, preferably provided at their lower ends with casters and arranged to support a table formed by a frame H and a top l2. Adjacent one end of the top is provided a housing l3 arranged to enclose the driving and controlling mechanisms for the operative elements of the machine. These include a roller H and a shoe l5 movable toward and from the roller in any convenient way, well known in machines of this character. It will be understood that the supporting structure and operating elements disclosed in this case are of more or less conventional construction and may be varied as desired to suit particular circumstances.

i'ne present invention is directed primarily to the provision of a pair of cover members l6 arranged to be shifted from the position indicated in Fig. 1 to that indicated in Fig. 2. It will be noted that in each of these positions the top I! of each member is maintained in a horizontal plane. As will be presently explained, each of the members I6 is connected with the support in such a way as to shift by a parallel motion between the two positions indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, this permitting any articles placed upon the covers to remain during such movement. The cover members are so constructed that they are completely enclosed except at their bottoms and at the ends which abut when they are shifted into the position of Fig. 2.

Each of the cover members is pivotally attached to the frame of the machine by the same type of linkage and therefore it will be necessary to describe the construction with relation to only one of the members. Furthermore, the linkage connecting each cover member with the frame is duplicated at the front and back of the machine so that it will be necessarv to describe only one set of connections, such as those provided at the front of the machine. On the inside of the front of the cover there is attached by rivets, or the like, a plate l8 having its ends bent into another plane to provide pivot supports spaced slightly from the wall of the member. In one of the offset ends of the plate |8 a pivot pin I9 is mounted for the attachment of a substantially L-shaped link 29, whose opposite end is pivotally attached at 2| to the main frame of the machine. Ina similar way a pivot pin 22 is provided in the opposite offset end of plate l8 for the pivotal attachment of another substantially Leshaped link 23 whose other end is pivotally connected to the main frame at 24. The pivots 2| and 24 are preferably carried by a plate 25 bolted, or otherwise secured, to the frame of the machine and arranged to permit the pivotal attachment of the links 29 and 23 at points spaced slightly from the frame Pivots 2| and 24 are spaced with relation to each other the same distance as the pivots I9 and 22 and are in the same angular relation. A stud 26 extending inwardly from each of the links 20 and 23 is arranged to engage the top surface |2 of the main support to limit the downward movement of the cover when in its concealing position indicated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 3.

When it is desired to expose the ironing elements, each cover member is shifted by a parallel motion, in the way explained, from the dot and dash position of Fig. 3 to the broken line position. In the course of this movement the pivots l9 and 22 describe arcs of the same radius about the points 2i and '24, respectively. This serves to maintain the top ll of the member in a constantly horizontal position. By forming the links 20 and 23 in the peculiar way shown, it is possible to place these links in the same plane without interference. Obviously, if they were .simply straight links this could not be done. When the movement is completed, the links assume the broken line position indicated in Fig. 3 and the cover member is then supported by engagement of a portion of the link 20 with a portion of the leg ill, or by engagement of link 23 with link 2d, or by both of these engagements. When in this open position the top I l of the cover member is directly in the plane of the top surface E2 of the support. As indicated in Fig. 4, one of the cover members may be formed with an offset lip 21 arranged to overlap with an extension 28 of the other cover member to form a more perfect closure.

While an illustrative embodiment of the ln-= vention has been described in considerable detail, it will be understood that various changes may be made without departing from the general principles and scope of the invention. Thus while the links 20 and 23 will preferably be duplicated, as stated, at the front and back of each cover member one set of these links may, if desired, be replaced by a single link attached to the frame and cover at points spaced apart the same distance as the points 59 and 2t. Various other changes will be suggested to the person skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine of the class described a main support, a cover member, and means connecting said support and member arranged to permit movement of said member from a position above said support to a position with its top at substantially the level of the top of said support and beyond the ends of the same, said means comprising a pair of links connected at fixed pivots to said support and member and maintaining the top of said member constantly horizontal.

2. In a machine of the class described a main support, a cover member, and parallel motion means comprising a pair of links connected at fixed points to said support and member and arranged to permit movement of said member from a position above said support to a position with its top in the plane of the top of said support and beyond. the ends of the same.

3. In an ironing machine a support, ironing elements carried by said support, cover means for concealing said elements, and means comprising links connected at fixed points to said.

support and cover means for pivotally connecting said cover means with said support, said last mentioned means being constructed and ar ranged to retain said cover means in concealing position or in a position with its top in the plane of the top of said support and beyond the ends of the latter.

4. In an ironing machine a support, ironing acaasee elements carried by said support, cover means for concealing said elements, and means for connecting said cover means with said support, said last mentioned means comprising links connected at fixed points to said support and cover means means.

5. In a machine of the class described a support, cover means, a plurality of links each pivotally connected with said support and with one side of said cover means, the points of connection of said links with said supports being in the same 5 relation as with said cover means, said links constraining said cover means for parallel movement to and from operative position, and means on said links arranged to cooperate with said support for supporting said cover in operative position.

6. In a machine of the class described a support, cover means, and a plurality of links each pivotally connected with said support and with one side of said cover means, the points of connection of said links with said supports being in the same relation as with said cover means, said links constraining said cover means for parallel movement to and from operative position and limiting said movement in each direction. 30

7. In a machine of the class described a support, cover means movable to a position over said support and to a position clear of the same, and means for attaching said cover means to said support comprising a pair of links pivotally connected with the support at spaced, fixed points and pivotally connected with one side of said cover means at similarly spaced, fixed points, said links being constructed and arranged in the same plane to permit movement thereof through (30 an arc of substantially 180.

8. In a machine of the class described a support, cover means movable to a position over said support and to a position clear of the same, and

means for attaching said cover means to said 65 support comprising a pair of links pivotally connected with the support at spaced, fixed points and pivotally connected with one side of said cover means at similarly spaced, fixed points,

said links being disposed in the same plane and 50 being bent to permit movement thereof through an arc of substantially 180.

9. In a machine of the class described a support, cover means movable to a position over said support and to a position clear of the same, and 55 means for attaching said cover means to said support comprising a pair of links pivotally connected with the support at spaced pointsand pivotally connected with one side of said cover means at similarly spaced points, said links bem ingdisposed in the same plane and cooperating with said support and with each other to limit movement of said cover means in both directions.

' CHARLES E. MORGENS'I'ERN. 

